


A Game of Whitt (on Hiatus)

by Evieangelion



Series: A Jewel in the Titans Crown [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Action, Child Abuse, Father/Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Unbeta'd, mentions of child abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-03-03 03:00:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13332078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evieangelion/pseuds/Evieangelion
Summary: Tony Stark does not believe in magic, there is a logical explanation for everything. So when a little girl claiming to be able to see the future saves his life He assumes the worst.  But there is more to Whitt Foster than meets the eye, and she has more secrets than he could ever have imagined, secrets that could save the planet and that go far beyond the reach of anything he could have dreamed.





	1. The one where Tony Almost Dies

 

**Monday, January 12, 20xx**

**The Jefferson Conference Center**

**Hall X**

 

“-and it’s only through innovation that we can truly change the world.”  

 The Audience was silent, hanging off his every word with rapt attention. Every few moments a camera shutter would go off, the quick light of a flash.

 Tony had been invited to speak at one of the biggest clean energy conventions in the world, a collection of scientists, politicians, businessmen with philanthropic hearts, and a wide array of press from various news outlets and sources.

 A year or two ago he would have scoffed at the invite, thrown it in the pile for Junk mail and told pepper to ‘Handle it’.

 And then he went overseas for a weapons presentation and his entire world fell apart- changed.

 He changed with it.

 It was no longer enough to continue the legacy of his father, to profit from war and  her instruments. It was no longer enough to be satisfied with the numbing idea of him serving his country by keeping it well armed.

 He was Tony Stark, and he could do better.

 “Beginning Today, my company will be using its resources to research the implementation of arc reactors in every major town and city in the Country.”

  There were gasps and excited murmurs in the audience. Once again Stark had managed to outdo, and maybe overdo himself.

 “Yes,” he confirmed their silent suspicious, “It means independence from fossil fuels, and the end of  gas and oil corporations in the US...and someday,” Tony paused for dramatic effect before adding, “The World.”

The Audience rose almost as one to applaud, the sounds of hundreds of hands creating a dull roar in his ears. He smiled, the one used for television and interviews, and stood for the required thirty seconds of photographs.

The Coordinator and host of the envent walked on stage to shake his hand.

 Ignoring the outstretched palm, he instead used his own hand to turn them towards the cameras.

 It was nearly over when suddenly, somewhere to his left was a shout. Happy.

 “Hey! You can't go out there! Someone stop that kid!”

 Kid?

 Tony turned.

 Some of the press at the foot of the stage turned as well, trying to gauge what was going on.

 A young boy, no older than 11 was dashing onto the stage, gunning for him him.

 Tony’s eyes widened as the kid dived towards him, crashing into him and the coordinator and sending them all to the ground. Mere nanoseconds later three loud ‘pop’s’ echoed, whistling through the space where his head was and embedding themselves in the wall behind them.

 The Auditorium erupted into chaos, people screaming when they had processed the sound of gunfire.

 Tony’s ears were still ringing with the sound of it- the shock- when Happy hauled him to his feet. He blinked rapidly as the world came into sharp relief. “I’m Fine!” Tony insisted, his feet still not quite taking steps of their own, still being pulled along by Happy.

 His head of security pulled him off the stage, into the wings, were three other men waited.

 “Happy I’m Fine! I’m Fine,” He looked beyond the intense expression of his bodyguard for the boy.

 The kid was still laying on his back on the stage, breathing heavily if the sharp rise and fall of his chest was anything to go for. There was an enormous grin on his face, the tell tale bark of silent laughter.

 “Im Fine! Happy Im fine!”Tony once again insisted, “Grab the Kid! Grab him!”  His Security chief didn't look too happy about adding another person to the  but he complied. Turning back, he lifted the kid roughly to his feet and hauled him in their direction.

 Tony watched as he was being pulled away by the other men, the kid pulled against Happy’s grip roughly, managing to get a wrist free. His lips moved, words, but Tony was unable to make out what he was saying. Whatever it was caused Happy to stop trying to pull him along. The pair of them instead walked quickly to rejoin them.

 They caught up with Tony and the other Guards quickly.  

 “How did you do that?” He asked, demanded, “Hmm? Tell me how you knew about the assassin kid!”

 The boy stared at him with sage-like eyes, silent. It he were being honest, it was freaking him out. The kid remained silent, nodding his head to the exit they were fast approaching, _‘Wait’,_  he seemed to say.

 The doors opened quickly, the small group rushing outside. The men surrounded Tony and his young savior as they got into the car, no room for anyone to have a clean shot.

 Once they were both inside, Happy took the wheel. He wasted no time peeling away from the curb.

 Safety enveloped them like a shroud.

 Tony tried to catch his breath, heart thundering.

 “You’re welcome by the way...” The kid said, and it was only because he heard them speak that he realized the boy was not a boy at all, but a girl.

 Tony raised his brow at her, “I never said thank you..”  He eyed her, a small, skinny thing, the clothes she was wearing were more wearing her than anything else. They could have fit an actual boy twice her size.

“You should be….I just saved your life Stark!” She pointed out, raising her voice.

 He regarded the child, dark eyes and hair, olive skinned, looked like she hadnt eaten a proper meal in her entire life. She wasn't even dressed like a girl, the jeans and hoodie she wore were clearly hand-me-down garments.

 “You did, did you?....how the hell did you know that would happen Kid?”

 The girl rolled her eyes again, the orbs so dark they could have been black.

 “He thought he was going to be able to kill you easily,” she explained, “He’s one of the best in the world at his job, and has a body count in the high hundreds.”  It was nearly comical how easily was speaking about this, as if she was talking about the weather.

 Ignoring the surprise on his face, she took a deep breath, “I’ll tell you how to find him. Pay attention. ” She sat very still then, staring at nothing.  A chill rolled down Tony’s spine.

 He snapped his fingers in front of her face when she went unresponsive,“That’s not what I asked you kid,”  he was beginning to lose his composure and waved his hand in front of her face, “hey Kid-!”

 Tony started back quickly as the kid’s eyes went white. At her temples, small veins protruded.

 “Happy..?” Tony called, his driver glanced his rear view mirror once -twice- exclaiming in shock.

The car swerved and Tony swore colorfully, “Happy! Eyes on the Road!’ His chief of security cursed and his eyes darted to the road again, “Sorry! Sorry Boss! What-What the hell _is_ that?”

 But Tony was unable to answer, too focused on the strange little girl sitting to his right, eyes milky white and glowing.

 After a moment, she began to speak. “34th and 2nd street, inside the brownstone at  2:56 pm, JFK international Airport flight 6532 to Russia at 3:30pm, Blonde hair and green eyes, a scar on his temple.” Her body swayed with her words, “He’s wearing a baseball cap and has a blue shirt and black jeans. His Passport...” The longer she spoke, the more strained her voice became, pale blue veins bulging at her temples.  “I’ve almost got it! His-His name is Nathan White!” The girl exclaimed forcefully, the very words snapping her out of the trance.

 As if pushed back by an unseen force, her head snapped backwards and bounced against the leather seats. Breathing heavily, she regarded him carefully. “That’s all I can see, Im sorry...I can’t look for too long yet..”

Tony stared. The entire exchange had taken mere seconds.

 “My name is Whitt,” the girl said breathlessly, finally introducing herself, “And I can see the future.”

 “Happy...” Tony called to his driver carefully, only the barest hint of panic in his voice.

 Happy glanced at him through the rearview mirror, his hands tight on the steering wheel. “Yeah Boss?”. He sounded much calmer than his employer, is only the least bit wary.  

 “Tell me I was shot in the head and this is a very long and detailed fever dream…the Kid being the fever..”  He didnt care if he sounded like he was begging, or that his words were coming out of his mouth just a hair too fast. This was some Fury-level ‘Weird Shit’tm, and he didn't play with that.

 “My name is Whitt..”  Apparently having regained her lost strength, the girl leaned forward to helpfully interject. Tony was too freaked out to even notice her interrupting.

 Happy seemed to be taking it better than he was. He shrugged, his face deceptively nonchalant- as if hiding a smirk, “No Dice boss. The Kid can see the future-”

 The girl once again interrupted, “-Whitt. My name is Whitt.” She said impatiently.

 Happy however, took this in stride and corrected himself. He was unable to keep the grin off his face this time. “Whitt can see the future Boss..”

 But Tony wasn't having it,“No one can see the future Happy.” He said matter-of factly, ignoring the offended look the girl shot him, and ignoring the girl for that matter.

 “I can.” She interrupted again

 “Whitt can.” Happy parroted, looking far too amused for someone who was supposed to be guarding his life.

 “You’re- You’re supposed to be- You’re supposed to be on my side here Hap-” Tony protested, nearly beyond words“How are you not freaking out?”

 “Hey, she saved your life Boss. I can't ask for more than that.” Happy said with a shrug,  maneuvering into another lane.

 “Where are we going anyway Hap?” Tony asked, heart finally beginning to decelerate from it’s amped up pace.

 “Safehouse.” Happy and the Kid said in unison.

 Tony looked at her sharply, “Alright, Im going to need you not to do that again Kid, that was Children of the Corn creepy.” he turned his attention back to Happy, “And No, Happy take me to the house- we’re not going to any Safehouses.”

 Both Whitt  and Happy looked affronted, “That’s not a great Idea Boss..”

 “My name is Whitt, Stark…”The Kid snarked at him.

 Tony made a face at her, “My name is Tony, Whitt.” He looked back to his head of security,  “And Happy I don't care, the house- Now...”

 Happy swore under his breath and changed lanes swiftly, a few cars behind them honking angrily.

 Whitt however looked far too self-satisfied with Tony for using her name. He scoffed at her,  “How old are you anyway Kid? Nine?”

 Whitt mirrored his annoyed expression and scoffed back at him, Tony was concerned by how much of an exact match it was.

  _Was that what he looked like when he did that?_  

 “Im Eleven Tony….” She corrected him.

 “Whitt’s Eleven Tony….” Happy supplied, Whitt looked gleeful as he chuckled at Tony’s expense.

 He wasn't sure why, but the Kid joining in made it worse.  

 “I will Fire you.” He shot at his driver, the laughter there ending immediately at his matter-of-fact tone.

 Turing to Whitt, Tony narrowed his eyes at her, “And I’ll toss you out Kid..we’re doing 75 on the I-60 don't test me...” Her teeth clicked closed with an audible snap and Tony smiled to himself.

 Satisfied with the current moodiness in the car and the lack of unrepentant amusement at his expense, Tony sighed glanced at his watch. “Jarvis did you get all that?

 “The watch flashed with orange pulses in time with the AI’s voice.  “Indeed Sir, verifying the information now and alerting the proper authorities. It is currently 12:47pm, I shall inform you when we have anything. Though might I say, the probability of a human developing the capabilities to predict future events- while incredibly slim- is a very likely possibility in this-. ”

 Tony cut off his AI, raising his voice“-You may not say Jarvis, prep my lab please.”  

 There was a strangely audible click when the line disconnected.

 Whitt hid another smirk, looking outside her window and muttering, “ _Jarvis_ thinks It’s likel-”  she began to say, hiding a snort behind her hand when Tony nearly shouted.

 “75 on I-60 Whitt!”

 Tony glanced at her sharply, pointedly ignoring the smile on her face -reflected in the window- when he used her name.

 The rest of the drive was uneventful, everyone keeping to their own thoughts as the city passed them by. Finally, the sleek black car pulled into the wide lot that was his frot drive.

 Whitt’s eyes bulged.

 Tony chuckled despite himself,  catching her shocked expression in the reflection of her mirror, mouth clearly caught mid ‘woah’.

 The car rolled to a stop in front of a wide pathway, an underground garage. It was only a moment before the doors rolled open and they drove inside.

 Whitt was nearly vibrating in her seat she was fidgeting so much. Tony wanted say something sharp then.

But...judging by the threadbare hand-me-downs and ratty sneakers, not to mention the slightly-too-sharp angles of her cheeks, she was a long way from home.  He kept his silence.

 Part of him wondered where the strange kid had even come from. A poor family most likely, lost of kids so lots of hand-me downs and not enough to eat. Barely around dad judging by her overall attitude and a mother who left the responsibility to her by how snarky and well spoken she was.

“Stop analyzing me Stark.” Her eyes in the darkened reflection on the window met his...and squinted.

_How had she even noticed him?_

“Shut up Kid.” He opened his own door when the car rolled to a stop, the ignition turning off.

Without waiting for her, Tony walked to the elevator that would take him up to his lab.

“It’s Whiiiiiittt-” she began to whine, pausing when Happy opened her door for her, “Thank you.” she said politely.

“My Pleasure Little Lady.” The chief of security gave the girl a wave, “Take it easy on him okay? He’s had a rough day..” He shot Whitt a small wink, making her laugh before he hoping back into the car, off to attend to the most pressing security matters the day had raised.

 Whitt waved at the retreating car, she liked Happy. He was funny, and accepting. When she turned around to find Tony, her eyes widened. He had gotten on an elevator already, standing inside and waving at her as the doors began to close. Whitt began to run, “Hey! Wait up!”, she called, just managing to reach him. She jammed her hand inside the narrowing gap between the doors, halting their progress and getting into the elevator.

 She glared at the billionaire tacitly.

 Tony looked at her unapologetically, “My House, My Elevator,” He said, pushing one of the many round buttons near the door. The Elevator began moving with a soft hum, arriving after merely a few seconds. Once again, Whitt was helpless but to stare at the high-tech lab, sleek, stainless steel equipment, and the wide array of cars. It was a baffling show of wealth.

“Try to keep up kid.”

 Tony was unaffected by her wonder, walking through his lab until he came to an empty workbench with two stools.

 He whistled at her- something she did not take to kindly- and waved her over. “Hey, come on over here. Sit- there you go- up, up, up!”  He ushered her to sit across from him, opening one of the many drawers in the workbench.

“What are these?” the kid asked, going cross-eyed in an attempt to look at the flat, white discs he was attaching to her head. One for her forehead and two for her temples.

 “These,” Tony clicked his fingers and a bright orange HUD appeared at his fingertips, “Are going to tell me that you don't see the future.”

 Whitt frowned, “You built technology something to lie to you?” she asked cheekily.

 Tony rolled his eyes, waving his fingers at her, “Hush. And do your creepy Children of the Corn thing again…”

 This time, the kid’s smirk faltered, “I can't go into The Trance so soon after leaving it. It’s-”

 “-Less talk more sight kid.” Tony interrupted, eyes still on his readings.

 Whitt sighed, longsuffering and exasperated and much too tired for an 11 year old.

 Tony looked closely at the various wavy lines that represented Brain activity, a quick glance at the Kid showed she had closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air itself paused, vibrating with potential energy.  Something intense was about to happen.

 Suddenly, a very loud, and very angry growl ripped though the room.

 Tony looked up from the readings quickly.

 The Kid was sitting on the stool quietly, unable to meet his eyes as her cheeks tinged pink. She had wrapped her arms around her mid-section tightly, hunching over when her stomach growled again.

 “Sorry…” she said nervously, cringing away from him.

 He opened his mouth to snark her but found that he a) didn't have the heart to be mad at a starving kid and b) found the whole situation he was in to be too ridiculous not to just roll with it.

 Instead of a condescending retort, Tony sighed and dismissed the holographic display. He peeled the nodes off her forehead with a hurried finality.  Whitt blinked at him owlishly, still holding her growling stomach.

 He was losing his touch at being an asshole.

 “You want a Sandwich?”

* * *

 

Of all the ways he had imagined his day going, making a clairvoyant 11-year old a sandwich in his kitchen was not what Tony had imagined.

 “Thank...you..” the Kid managed to get out between bites. She reached for the glass of milk he put beside her, mouth still full.

 Tony slid it further away, “ ‘s not going anywhere Kid, you can take your time.” He insisted, more worried for his marble countertops if she ate too much too quickly.

 Whitt looked crestfallen, but swallowed the large mouthful of sandwich all the same before reaching for the glass again.

 For the first time, Tony wondered who was feeding this child. It was nearly three Pm on a Monday, during the school year. Someone should be missing her.

 “Where are your parents anyway? Won't someone notice that you cut school?” He asked, eying the rapidly disappearing plate he had set before her.

 Whitt shrugged, to busy with finishing the first half of her sandwich. “I have a dad, he’s..busy. And I saw you getting shot this morning so-”

 “-Yeah speaking of that,” Tony looked up at the ceiling, “Jarvis any news?”

 “Yes Sir,” the smooth tones of the AI filtered in from various different locations, “at 2:56 pm exactly. The man was caught in the location Miss Whitt specified with a plane ticket to Russia at 3:30pm...a... _highly unlikely probability_.”

 “I swear I never programmed that attitude into you.”

 “I _was_ programmed by you Sir....”

 The Kid snorted her milk, mid drink when Jarvis spoke.

 Tony fixed her with a stare,“What the hell are you kid? Even if you could- and im not saying you can-  see the future…”

 Whitt looked unimpressed with his reasoning. Taking a big bite out of the second half of her sandwich, she shrugged, “Why don't you just believe me?”

 “No one can see the future, magic doesn't exist-”

 “Magic is just science we don't understand..” she countered him calmly, brow raised.

 Tony breathed deeply, “Alright- Alright, how did you even get this....ability?”

 Whitt began her tale with a large gulp of milk, “It started as dreams,” she said, “When I was a few years younger, I'd dream things that’d happen the next day, word for word.”

 “Soon, It was more than dreams, I figured out that I could do it while I was awake.” Another sip, “Now anytime I need to, I just close my eyes and concentrate. The Trance is just what that looks like-”

 “- the creepy thing with the eyes-” Tony interjected, gaining the kid’s glare.

 “ _-The Trance,_ ” she corrected, “Its how I see the future and long as I’m in it..I can see anything or anyone. Doesn't matter where or how far… or when..”

 “So you can turn it off?” Despite himself, Tony was engrossed in what the Kid was saying. Precognition was science fiction, fantasy, something that should not exist.

 And yet here it was, in this living, breathing, _kid_.

 Whitt shot him a look that loosely translated into, _‘duh’_ , “I don't just walk around with the Future in my head all the time Stark. And I can only see a few months at a time, no more than half a minute  ” She furrowed her brow and drained the last bit of milk from her glass, “ I tried to go for longer, farther once,” she shuddered, “It was _awful_ ”

 “The experience or what you saw?” Tony questioned carefully, paranoia coloring his thoughts.

 Whitt swallowed thickly, “It hurt, like my head was too full and about to burst open. My eyes started bleeding, and my ears and nose...If I didn't stop, i think it would have died.”

 “God...When was this kid?” Tony asked, no longer masking the mounting horror on his face. She was so calm, so unconcerned with it all. Who the hell was this kid?

 “Last year,” she waved a dismissive hand, “When i first started searching the future I didn't know much about what I could or couldn't do. But I know my limits now, so that doesn't happen again.”

 Tony opened his mouth to comment further but Whitt moved on quickly.

 “Anyway,” she continued, “It’s as simple as that, I was searching the future, I saw you, I saw you die, and I changed it.”

 “You just...changed it?” Tony echoed flatly, “Just like that.”

 Whitt blinked, “Well...yeah...Now when I look, your future is clear. No signs of death on the horizon. No bullets or guns or assassinations.”

 He exhaled at her casual tone, “Jesus, kid.”

 She shrugged, “If I can see the future, then it’s for a reason. As long as it dosen’t interfere in the grand scheme of things, I do everything I can...In this case I saw the bullets leave the gun and then your head exploded. I wasn't just gonna leave you to die when I could help.”

  _Jesus._

 “Maybe less detail on my...grisly, gruesome, death huh kid?” Tony cringed, taking her empty plate and glass. When he turned back to her, the kid was looking at the place where her food had been mournfully. A second later, her eyes snapped to his. There was a pregnant pause as she realized she had been caught. Wide-eyed and unapologetic, her eyes flickered between him and the fridge several time. She licked her lips quickly.

 Tony huffed, hiding a laugh. Who was feeding this kid?

 At this point, he couldn't even be angry .

 “You want another one?”

 She smiled brightly.

 Tony sighed and opened the fridge again.

 As he made her another sandwich, Whitt decided to fill the silence with more talk about her powers. He learned how far she had seen, nearly three weeks.  What was possibly the most fascinating part of her ability was the fact that it changed when a decision was made. When she saved his life, an entirely new future had been created.

 The ideas for experiments and tests were endless. Unable to help it, Tony envisioned an entire future for the kid, one where her ability could help him keep the world safe. The moment the thought entered his head, he filed it away. The implications- moral and otherwise- he couldn't afford to think about that just yet.

 Whitt had just about finished with her second meal when Jarvis’ voice filtered unannounced though the house.

“The time is now 3:45 pm Mr. Stark.”

 Tony snickered when she looked up to the ceiling, mouth still full of pastrami on rye. She  shot him a look when the sound of his laughter reached her ears. Her face however, fell when she heard what Tony said next.

 “Tell Happy to bring the car round, please.”

 “Very well Sir. Ms. Potts is also on the way. Her flight from Tokyo finally landed-”

 “-Of course it has-”

 “-she sounded frantic when she asked me to alert you of her arrival-”

 “-of course she did-”

 “-I recommend you call her after you see to Ms. Whitt’s departure.”

 “Yeah...Yeah I will. Thanks buddy.”

 Once Jarvis’ voice had faded into the silence of the Mansion, Tony turned his attention back to Whitt.

 “She’s gonna be mad.” she said sagely.

 “Don't need to see the future to know that one Kid.” Tony sighed, already mentally preparing himself for the ensuing conversation he was going to have.

 Whitt looked at him seriously, “Time to go?”  she asked, more a statement than a question. .

“Time to Go.” He echoed, putting her dishes into the sink.

 “C’mon Kid.”

 Together, they walked back to the elevator in silence. Whitt took the time to look around the room, trying to memorize its layout, its contents. Tony reflected on what he had learned, how strange his day had turned out.

 “Hey Whitt!” Happy smiled at the Kid when the elevator doors revealed her face. He got on eye-level with her, regarding her seriously, “You took it easy on him right?”

 Whitt smiled, waving at Happy, “I did my best,” she said seriously, “But Im not sure if he handled it okay..”

 “Conspiring against me in my own home,” Tony called, “Thats a capital offense Kid.” Tony eyed her, “Strike one.”

 “My name is Whitt, Stark.” the Kid stuck her tongue out at him, hands in her jeans pockets.

“Potts is on the way Boss.” Happy interjected, standing up.  

 “Yeah, Jarvis told me. I’ll keep an eye out.” Tony deflected, “Hey, take her where she needs to go.  Just drop her off where she tells you.”

 “Will do Boss.” Happy shot him a two-fingered salute before the pair of them were off, Happy pausing to open the door for the Kid before getting in himself.

 Tony watch the black sedan pull away and disappear up the ramp, back into the outside world.

 With a sigh, he turned and went back into the house, wondering how the hell he was going to explain all this to Pepper.

 

* * *

  “So where to little lady?” Happy asked pleasantly, pulling out of Tony’s ritzy private neighborhood.

 He frowned when she rattled off an address, “That's not really a housing area kid,  you sure?”

 Whitt shrank back, “Yeah I know, B-but I like to walk him from school and my dad would have all kinds of questions if I just pulled up into the drive in this car.” her voice had sped up more than a little by the end of her statement, her eyes darting around the car- looking everywhere expect at Happy.

 Little alarm bells were going off in Happy’s head, “You sure Kid?” he ventured, “ I don't mind driving you all the way, and if there's any trouble I can square with you pops..”

 “-No!”  Whitt cried, cringing when her voice was louder than normal, “I mean, it’s..its fine, I really do like walking...It’s fine Happy. I Promise.” Her tone was serious when she finally met his eyes.

 Happy sighed and dropped the subject, “Alright Whitt, if you say so. Next stop…”

 Whitt had tuned out whatever Happy had said next. Instead, she was occupied with thoughts of how she was going to tell Martin she had missed the bus and had to walk home.

 She prayed he didn't know that she skipped school.

 Her heart hammered in her chest as they drew closer to their destination. It was far later than she had intended for it to be. Her vision had been clear in that regard. She was supposed to have left after that first sandwich, insisted that she walk to a bus stop and take that all the way home- back in time to meet up with her siblings as they walked down the street their house was on.

 But she had been hungry.

 And Tony was nice. Far nicer than she had expected. Despite he mean exterior, the smug attitude and the mean things he said, she could tell that he was nice- he was just kidding.

 But now it was late, too late for her to take the bus, too late for her to meet up with her siblings, and too late for her to pretend she had been at school. She hoped Martin was going to be home late.

 When the car finally pulled in to the parallel park lane next to the rundown starbucks and across from the second hand laundromat, Whitt smiled and thanked Happy. He once again opened her door for her,  giving her a proper send off.

 “See you later Whitt!” he waved as he watched her retreating back disappear amongst the middling crowd.

 She waved until he could no longer see her.

 Happy sighed heavily and got back into his car. He wouldn't lie, he was a little concerned. The way she had acted when he offered to drop her directly home…

 That had been fear in her eyes.

 The driver shook his head and put the car into reverse. The second he got back he was asking Tony to look into her living situation

  

* * *

 

 Whitt dashed up the grotty brick stairs of the house she lived in. Wasting no time, she yanked her shoes off and set them next to the five other pairs that belonged to her foster siblings.

 The screen door creaked loudly when she opened it, the main door beyond groaning as she pushed.

 “Well look who’s home.”

 Whitt froze, panic settled deep in her bones. Dark eyes darted to the clock on the far side of the kitchen wall.

 The Time.

  _4:53_

 Fear draped over her like a blanket, her knees trembled. Around the dinner table, five pairs of eyes regarded her fearfully, homework laid out.  

 To her immediate right- she dreaded to look- was a man more troll than human. He slouched in the sofa he was sitting on, the bright glare of the TV lighting up the immediate area with flickers of light. Every so often, he would drink deeply from a dark bottle in his hand, unmoving save to scratch an itch or change the channel on the television.

 Martin was home early.

 Her foster father’s gaze never strayed from the television, “Where have you been Whitt?” He questioned, his voice purposefully neutral.

 Terror raced in her veins. Whitt tried to keep her breath steady, to keep the tremble out of it as her mind raced to find an excuse in the face of choking fear. .

 “I said where have you been!” She jumped nearly into the air with the volume of his shout. Martin looked at her sharply, eyes narrowed when he did not receive an immediate answer, he hated being made to wait. The five pairs of eyes jumped back to the books on the table, the sound of pencil on paper reached her ears.

 “I- I missed the bus Martin..” her voice was so soft it was a mere whisper, “So I had to walk-”

 “-Don't you fucking lie to me!” He shouted, quickly getting up to loom over her.

 Whitt swallowed the lump of dread in her throat when the glimmer of his silver belt buckle caught the light from the tv. Her shoulder ached- a phantom pain.

 “I’m **not** lying!” she shouted back, her voice cracking. Tears filled her eyes when her foster father fisted the front of her hoodie in one of his large, hair-covered hands. He shook her so hard her teeth rattled in her mouth.

 “Bull-fucking-shit you little whore!” Whitt flinched,spittle raining down on her face, “ I’ll teach you not to lie to me anymore! This is the last time!”  He raised the back of his hand, the thick ring there causing her jaw to ache prematurely.

 Whitt turned her face, eyes closing as she prepared for the blow. She could take it, it was nothing she hadnt dealt with before. Her heart dropped into her stomach, however, when instead of hitting her, Martin shouted.

 “Mabel, come’ere!”

 Her eyes flew open , “No!”  she cried, finding her courage as the widest and youngest pair of eyes left the table.  “No! No! No! Martin No!” she pulled violently at the fist bunched in her hoodie.

 “I’ll behave! I promise! I will! Not her! Not her! Martin Please!”

 Mabel’s lip trembled as she came over, brown hair lank, eyes spilling over with silent tears. She was dressed just the same as Whitt was, clothes a little to big and just a hair too dirty. But she said nothing as she crossed the floor of the small house to stand before Martin. She was barely six.

 “Punish me instead!” Whitt pleaded, “Punish me Martin!”

 It was deathly silent in the house. Of the four children remaining at the table, two had covered their ears, heads down on the table.

 Martin paused when Mabel stood next to Whitt, appearing to reconsider.

 Whitt glanced over at the table, meeting the eyes of one of the boys. His anger was palpable.  Whitt gave him a small shake of her head, warning him not to get involved. She didn't want anyone of them hurt.

 She was the eldest, it was her responsibility.

 “Go sit down Mabel.”  

Martin let Whitt go with a sharp shove as Mabel nearly ran back to the dining table, hiding behind one of the older boys.

 Landing on her rear with the force of his push, Whitt shuddered when the sound of Martin’s belt being undone filling the cavernous silence of the tiny house.  

 “Take down your pants.”

 Whitt closed her eyes, defeat and shame washing over her like a tide. Mechanically, her hands went to the shiny button on her jeans.

 Martin turned to the table, where the rest of the children were quick to look away. “ The rest of you finish your homework!” he shouted.

 Whitt held her jeans closed with one hand, bending herself over Martin’s lap when he sat back down. She blinked back tears as the black leather of his belt passed in front of her face.  Her eyes closed when she felt her pants being eased down her hips, the beat-up trainers on her feet kept them around her ankles.

 Her stomached jumped, heaved when Martin’s hand touched her rear.

 “Count.”

 Her bottom lip trembled when the belt moved out of her line-of-sight.  

 The silence began to ring.

 The children at the table sat quietly, pencils scratching, pages flipping. Their eyes however, were unfocused. One of the girls flinched sharply when the sound of Martin’s belt striking Whitt filled the room with a sharp crack. Her voice, trembling but steady, followed.

  _“One.”_

 One of the boys started to cry. Big, fat tears rolling down his cheeks and splashing onto his assignment. He wiped his eyes with one hand, the other still marking down numbers and figures.

 Another crack, another cry.

 Ten times.

 Ten times she was beaten.

 Whitt bore it as she usually did, crying, shaking, but all quietly. There was no need to make it worse on herself by making excessive noise, Martin disliked when she cried too loudly. Every punishing strike of his belt on her rear caused firey pain to lash up her spine. The crack of the leather belt on her skin was like thunder in her ears. The heat of each blow was followed by a distinct lack of feeling, a tingling numbness that lasted only until the pain of the next.

 By the time she counted out ten cracking snaps of the belt, Whitt was delirious with pain, her entire back felt like it was on fire. She heard the belt land on the floor, the quiet jingle of the buckle against grotty carpet.

 “Shhh sweetheart,” Martin said gently, his hand on her bare bottom, “It’s over now, no need to cry anymore.”

 Whitt shuddered violently at the feeling of his heated hand on her, caressing her rear gently. She rolled off his lap as quickly as she could, landing on the floor awkwardly.

 “I know you don't think so,” Martin said, his eyes locked on her as she stood, “But Im doing this for your own good..”

 Whitt remained silent, pulling her pants up shakily, the button on her jeans cold and alien-feeling in her shaky fingers.

 “ Someone has to make sure  you know right from wrong Whitt,” Martin said calmly, putting his belt back on and adjusting his pants, “ If I don't protect you, teach you, you could end up on the streets.”

 He turned to the table of other children, “Whitt is the oldest so she had to be an example to all of you. If she fucks up then it means all of you are free to fuck up too.”

 “I have to make sure that never happens.”

 Whitt was still crying when she picked herself up off the floor and walked to the kitchen.

 The clock now read 5:25.

 It was time to start dinner.

 The oven beeped when it reached 375॰. Whitt slid the frozen pizza inside carefully and shut the door.

 While it cooked, she sat at the table carefully, her books already there and homework arranged. Looking up carefully, Caleb met her eyes with a grim nod.  She nodded back, a small thankful smile on her face. The other children all offered various looks and small touches. Mabel patted her hand carefully from Matthew's lap, eyes wide and questioning.

 “I’m okay Mabes’,” Whitt reassured her with a quick grin, nodding at her dark haired big brother whose lap she resided on.

 Walter looked up from his tear-stained assignment to give her a shaky smile and a thumbs up, he wiped his eyes and she mirrored the gesture.

 The only other girl, Jane, finally lifted her head and uncovered her ears. She looked up at Whitt, mouth in a tight line, only able to shake her head. She went back to her work quickly, her eyes filling up with tears that she was quick to brush away.

 Dinner was a silent affair. As usual, Martin took his slice in front of the TV, ignoring them all as they ate.

 No one said a word and there was little sound save for the chewing of mouth or the occasional static of the channel on the TV changing.

 Once everyone had finished eating and Caleb had done all the dishes, the children filed out of the room. The boys went to their room without much said between them and the girls went to theirs.

 Martin didn't like much noise from them after dinner was over. He didn't really like noise from them at all. To him, each of them was worth only the check they granted him each month. He mentioned that fact often.

 Whitt made the final rounds at eight pm, checking on both the boys and girls.

 Caleb, Matthew, Tobias, Jane, and Mabel.  All from ages six to eight and the only family she had in the world. They had all come into Martin’s home at different times and from different places, only Matthew and Mabel were siblings.

 Whitt sat gingerly on the younger sibling's bed, even that action felt nearly unbearable. Mabel shifted carefully to allow her more room.

 “It’s okay Mabes’ ” Whitt was quick to move the little girls feet back to the center of her tiny bed, “I have more than enough room.”

 “Okay Whitt..” Mabel yawned out, settling deeper into her pillow.

 “Does it hurt alot?” Her voice shook in the darkness of the room causing Whitt to place soothing hands on her shoulders.

 “Not even a little…” she promised, ignoring the pained ache in her rear, a sharp wave of discomfort emanating through her body with every bend, twist, and move she made.

 Mabel looked unconvinced in the moonlight quiet of the room,“You always say that Whitt, I know youre lying..”

 “It doesn't hurt as much as you think. I can barely even feel it!” There was a smile on her face that, while not entirely fake, was colored with discomfort.

 Mabel sighed, her expression sad, “I wish we didn't live here Whitt, Martin is bad.”

 “I’ll never, ever let him hurt you Mabel, or Jane, or Matthew, orTobias, or Caleb. Don't Worry.” Whitt said seriously, pulling the covers up around the yawning little girl.

 Mabel fixed Whitt with a silent stare,“It’s not us that I worry about Whitt.”

 Whitt frowned and smoothed a few strands of hair away from her foster sister’s forehead. There was nothing left to say.

 Mable instead chose to change the subject, “Did you save Tony Stark?” she whispered, her voice low and secret.

 Whitt smiled, “I did.” she was rewarded with Mabel’s wonder-filled gaze.

 No one else in their small, broken home knew about Whitt’s  ability. She kept it a secret from everyone she could. But Mabel was different, she was special.

 “Good,” her little sister sighed, sleep tugging at her eyelids, “ Did he say Thank you?”

Whitt pursed lips, he hadnt.

 “You should go and make sure he Thanks you Whitt.” Mabel yawned a final time before closing her eyes.

 “I don't think I’ll ever see him again Mabel.” Whitt said carefully, waiting for her sister to argue. She smiled when she realized that Mabel had fallen asleep.

 “Goodnight Mabel.”

 Whitt dressed in her sleep clothes in the dark, the crumpled up nightshirt easy to slip over her head.

 The real fear came at night, when her visions played over and over in her dreams.

 She hadnt been lying to Stark when she said she had looked into the far future only once. The attempt still haunted her despite it being a year old.

 

  _Fire. Flashes of light and pain. A being a seven feet tall fighting a man in an iron suit. The being hit the man in the suit so hard his head slammed into the ground violently. All around them a battle raged. The planet was on fire. Men and women in suits and costumes flew and jumped and fought._

  _Pandemonium._

  _On the being’s hand, a glove, golden and glowing. It radiated power, power that caused her to taste ash, blood, destruction. Whitt gasped on air, choked on terror and horror when the glove snapped forward, crashing down into the earth below and into the Iron Man’s face. She watched it crumple like paper, crack and splatter open like an egg. She watched his body go limp._

  _“NO!” Her voice echoed, arching and cresting over the battlefield._

  _Time stopped, everything stopped. Even the fiery explosions, guns and bullets froze in their destruction.  She stared.  All of a sudden the Being turned and stared right at her, locking eyes with her._

  _His smile was cruel, evil, “I’ll have you soon enough, Little Star.”_

   _Suddenly a flash, a battle field no longer. It was an abyss, empty space filled with dust and rocks. An alien armada, billions upon billions strong. She wandered the asteroid field, floating from rock to rock._

  _The largest one was layered, stairs leading up. It hurt to breathe, her head was too full. She ignored the pain and took the stairs, walked up and up and up._

_A Throne. A chair. It did not face her but the power that it radiated was choking her._

  _“Who are you, child?” A voice like metal, like time, old and powerful, and unbearably dark._ _She tried to scramble back and found that she could not move._

_“Who are you that time bends for you to peer beyond it?” The voice said, the chair it came from turning._

   _The same being that had struck the Iron Man, but before, long before. He look at her, looked straight through her_ , _and he smiled. It was the same smile as before. One that stretched across his face._   _“Even I, with all my abilities cannot achieve such a  feat.”_

  _She was unable to speak, to move. With one gesture she was pulled towards him, out of the shadows and right before his throne_

  _“When are you child?” his finger hovered before her forehead, bigger than her entire face._

  _“Where are you?” Just as he was about to touch her, her vision exploded, mind nearly snapping in two._

   _She heard his last words only as an echo, “Who are you Little Seer?”_

  _Whitt woke with a scream, crumpled and crying on the floor, blood dripping from her eyes and ears, and nose._

 

The being she had taken to calling The Purple Titan was in all of her dreams now.  Whitt knew it was never really him, just nightmares, but sometimes she could feel his eyes. A shiver down her spine, her hair standing on end, a deep, dark dread sitting like a stone in her belly.

 She didn't know what he was, but she knew he was real and that he wanted her.

 He wanted the whole world.

 The people that had been fighting, Whitt knew they didn't exist yet. It was years and years into the future when they all came together. But she knew that they could beat him, they could at least try.

 And she could help. She would help.

 Tony Stark was the first one. By saving his life, she had ensured he would live until that day. She had made sure there would be at least one to fight the Purple Titan. There would be others.

 She would make sure of it.

 It would be like a game.

 That's what she told herself. A game that only she could play and a game that only she knew the rules for. The people she saw would be like prizes, every time she brought them a step closer to their abilities and identities, she would be a step closer to winning.

 It was a game.

 

A Game of Whitt.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. The one where a Deal is Struck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whitt and Tony meet up again, he has a deal for her but it ends up backfiring- quite spectacularly. Happy and Whitt enjoy their drive home and Whitt fulfills a vision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness my dear readers I am so sorry this took so long. Many things happened that kept me from getting this to you. But it is here now and I hope you enjoy, 23 pages of plot driven story! Woo!
> 
> Im going to try and stick to my writing schedule, with updates on Sundays, but forgive me if I am late. Im always writing and editing to try and get the story right. However, I still do not have an editor so forgive any typos please and if you spot them just point them out. I will be eternally grateful. 
> 
> Enjoy Chapter 2 guys, and leave a review if you can. Your feedback makes me better!
> 
> Oh and Thank you so much to everyone who bookmarked, left a review or kudos on chapter 1, i swear it kept me going!
> 
> Okay, enjoy. <3

**CHAPTER 2**

**A Game of Whitt**

 

**Tuesday, January 13, 20xx**

**Harold D. Blake Elementary School**

**The Playground**

“Why don't we just go the police?”

Caleb asked her quietly as they sat against the large oak that grew in the corner of the school playground. He looked everywhere but at her, keeping an eye on  their three other siblings as they played on the jungle gym.

Whitt sighed, the memory flashing through her mind.

_“Everything alright officers? Ma’am” Martin asked two two cops standing on their ruddy porch._

_The men shared a look, eyeing the polite man that stood on the porch before them. He was clean-shaven, wearing a suit with the sleeves rolled up. Flour coated his hands._

_Catching their stare, Martin chuckled, “Its pizza night officers, the kids and I do it every Wednesday.”_

_One of the cops spoke up, “Sir, we received a noise complaint about this residence. Is everything alright? Are you and the children unharmed?”_

_Martin grimaced, catching the eye of the social-worker, “Well actually, no...Im afraid one of the children had a little accident,” he looked into the house, beyond the screen door, “Whittney!”_

_Whitt shuffled to the door quickly, motioning to the other children to be quiet. Caleb nursed a bruised jaw, rapidly turning purple._

_“Yeah Dad?” She said with a forced smile, meeting the eyes of all parties present._

_“Can you show the officers your burn?” Martin sighed fondly and ruffled her hair, “Kids huh?  I told you not to go near the oven, it was still hot.”_

_Whitt offered her hand with a sheepish grin, eyes wide. Her hand still hurt furiously, the skin on the back of her palm reddened and shiny._

_Both cops made sounds of empathy, “I remember burning myself at a campfire when I was her agem” he said empathetically, “You might want to run that under cold water for awhile longer, maybe ice it.”_

_“I’ve heard toothpaste works,” the other officer volunteered, shooting Whitt a small grin._

_Martin nodded, “We’ll try that. Thank you Officers..” he waved as the two men departed, getting into their cruiser with a final wave._

_When their car had turned the corner, Martin turned his eyes on Whitt. “If you think for one second that's the last of it, you’d be mistaken.” Turning back inside, he called, “Whichever one of you called the cops if gonna be in a world of pain!”_

“It wont work-” she said, looking at faded scar on the back of her left hand.

“But-!”

“It wont work Caleb,” she said seriously, meeting her foster brother’s dark eyes, “the last time we were lucky. The Neighbors actually heard him.”

“If we call and it doesn't work…?” She didn't even want to search the future for that outcome.

The two children were distracted by a sudden pained cry.

Looking over to the jungle gym, they both jumped up at the sight of Mabel on the sandy ground clutching her knee. The three children were surrounded by a group of five fifth grader boys. Whitt recognized their leader and she groaned.

Caleb growled lowly, “Why the hell is Peter Gordon bothering us again? HEY!” he called loudly as the two of them ran over to the conflict.

Though they were out matched, the five boys all taller than them all except for Caleb, it could not be said that the six foster siblings were pushovers.

From her place on the floor, clutching a scraped and bleeding knee, Mabel glared at Peter through her tears. Jane was poking carefully at the wound, mouth set in a grim line as she dabbed at the blood with the edge of her t-shirt. Tobias stood protectively over the pair, small fists clenched and ready to fight as he screamed at snickering bullies.

Matthew, Mabel's biological brother, was in Peter’s face, pushing him back. Peter was grinning, hands up and away from Matthew, clearly holding back laughter.

“What the hell is wrong with you jerk?!” Matthew shouted, “She’s only six!”

“Hey man, I told you and your stupid fake siblings that this is our spot. Its not my fault you didn't listen. Jake was just making sure that you remembered.” He pointed to Jake, a tubby boy with missing front teeth, the one who had pulled Mabel down from jungle gym.

“Peter that’s enough!” Whitt called as she and Caleb finally reached the group, “They were just playing. You don't need to push us around.”

The older boy, 12 or 13 perhaps, turned his eyes onto Whitt. “Heey Whitt, you still spend time with these guys?” he asked with a grin.

Walking over to her, he chuckled “You know their not your real family right? Why don't you just hang out with me? We’re all headed to the arcade after school anyway, I’ll win you a prize or something.”

Whitt scowled and spat on the ground, hands on her hips she stared him down “No thanks Gordon, I’d rather die”

This was not the right thing to say in Peter’s eyes. He is expression soured, he turned away, “If that's your answer I guess..”

At the last second he turned back and shoved her to the ground with all his strength, “Maybe I’ll help you with that!”

Whitt landed with a sharp thud, her hands breaking her fall. She cringed back, scrambling to get up before he was on her. But she needn't have worried, Caleb was on Peter the the instant that he pushed her.

Whitt shouted for Caleb to stop but the two boys scrapped around in the dirt, throwing punches and wrestling for the upper hand.

The four other boys crowded Mabel, Jane, Tobias, and Matthew near the jungle gym and away from the fight. Or at least they tried to.

At the first opportunity he got, Matthew dove at jake, kicking at his shins. Despite being all of nine years, he was still angry at the boy for hurting his sister. The three other boys egged the fight on, not making any moves to stop them. None one to be left out, Jane jumped in too, teaming up with Matthew to bring the boy down.

Once the elder three saw that their friend was loosing, they were quick to jump in and try to pull the two off of Jake.

By now, the other children had seen the commotion and a group of them encircled the entire fight, watching with mixed reactions. Some cheered, other just watched in silence.

Eventually a teacher spotted commotion and called for help. She and few other teachers were able to separate both fights but there were still injuries all around. Caleb sported a busted lip and an impressive black eye, but he gave as good as he got. There was a gash above peter’s eye that wouldn't stop bleeding, making it look far worse than it actually was and he walked with a slight limp.

Jane and Matthew both had a few scrapes and bruises but seemed- for the most part- unharmed. Both children wore their battle scars with a grim sense of satisfaction, having made sure that the boy who hurt Mabel was just as hurt as she was.

Despite explaining the situation. All of them, save Mabel and Tobias were given detention and made to stay until 5, missing the bus and potentially incurring Martin’s wrath. Because of her age, Mabel stayed anyway, waiting for her siblings in the nurse’s office.

At 5:15, the six of them left the school with warnings from the principal and sinking feelings of dread in each of their stomachs.

With the bus having since departed, the six of them resolved to walking home. Caleb and Whitt led the charge with Jane, Mabel, and Matthew Following. Matthew carried his sister in his arms.

The walk back to the neighborhood that housed their run-down little house only quiet for a few moments. As soon as the school building was out of sight and the well maintained sidewalks began to show signs of wear and tear, Caleb spoke up.

“The next time those idiots try anything like that again, I’ll kill them.” His bottom lip curled in disgust.

Whitt sighed and shook her head, “It’s my fault anyway, If I just said yes he would leave us alone-”

“-No way he would! He’d just take you away from us and then bother us behind your back!” Jane cut in angrily. She shook her head when Tobias tried to calm her down, hands gesticulating wildly. “And no one seems to understand that! I can't believe we got in trouble! It wasn't even our fault!”

“They had to make sure we knew that fighting was bad..” Tobias said quietly, his dark head bowed. Without Jane holding his hand, he shuffled along with the rest of them, avoiding eye contact with anyone or anything else.

“They’re gonna come back, aren't they?” Mabel asked in a quiet voice, her eyes still a little puffy from crying.

Matthew was quick to soothe his sister, “If they come back, Caleb and I will protect you.”

Looking around at her siblings, Mabel relaxed when she saw the grim determination on the boys’ face. Even Tobias seemed ready to defend his foster sister.

It was nearly 5:30 when the six of them approached the little house surrounded in a rusted fence. Their neighbor, Mrs.Jenkins, eyed them suspiciously before heading inside. She was a very old woman, nearly eighty-five, and therefore had no time for trouble. In her mind, six children, unrelated and living in a home with no mother and a foster father who always seemed to be out of a job, was nothing but trouble.

Today seemed worse, and the sight of the six of them, dirty and bruised, sent her hobbling inside her home.

Whitt waved at the old woman as she was walking inside, “Evening Mrs. Jenkins!” she called.

Mrs. Jenkins simply eyed the dirty girl suspiciously, echoing the greeting with a haughty ‘Hhmph!’ and hobbling faster.

Jane laughed quietly behind her hand. Tobias smiled to himself. Even Caleb cracked a smirk.

Same old Mrs. Jenkins. Nothing ever changed.

Fortunately for the children, Martin didn't seem to be home. It wasn't unusual however, he was often out until very early in the morning with friends, drinking. If he returned, it wouldn't be anytime soon.

The children were relieved for this and eagerly entered their home. One by one they split off to settle in before congregating around the dining room table to do their homework. Tobias and Jane, the most academically gifted of the six of them, circled around to help with english and math.

Tobias was especially good at Math. Only nine years old and yet he was capable of helping Caleb and Whitt with their figures.

Late afternoon bled into evening and the children finished their homework.  Whitt made sure everyone had something to eat and Caleb supervised baths and made up a fun game for them to play for an hour after dinner.

By eight o-clock, when Mabel had begun to yawn, the two eldest children helped their siblings into their respective beds and made sure the house locked and everything was put away before they themselves got ready for bed.

However, Whitt and Caleb did not return to the respective rooms that they shared with their siblings. They instead sat together in the living room. Whitt leaned against the sofa and Caleb sat across from her.

“Tell me everything.” her brother said finally, his eyes lit up in anticipation.

Whitt grinned and begun her tale. She had promised the night before, when Caleb had asked her where she had been, that she would tell him everything. It had been all over the news, ‘Mystery child saves Stark at Expo!’, Caleb had given the news still one look and recognized Whitt in his oversized grey hoodie. She didn't shy away from his demands for answers, smiling mischievously when he pressed her.

“Okay,” she began, face becoming animated as she prepared to tell him the entire story, “It all started the night I came here….”

 

**A Game of Whitt**

**Saturday, February 2, 20xx**

**The Park**

**9:24 am**

“Hey Kid.” Tony said cheerfully when she climbed into the back of the  window-tinted SUV.

It was bright and early on a Saturday morning when Tony met Whitt again. The foster siblings had decided to go to the Park that day, Martin was uncaring of where they went on the weekend as long as they came back by sun-down. Whitt had been pushing Mabel on one of the brightly-colored swings when Caleb had come over. He and Matthew had been playing soccer a the ratty old ball they had found nearby.

“There's a weird guy looking at you Whitt.” He said quietly, looking over at the curb where a familiar face stood in front of a big, black SUV. Whitt smiled when she saw Happy, dressed in the same black suit as when she saw him last.

“We should go Whitt.” Caleb said, eying the man, not noticing her smile.

“No, it’s okay Caleb. Thats Happy...remember...from the story?” She whispered, trying to keep it from Mabel.

Caleb’s eyes widened. “That's him?” He looked at the big black car that Happy was standing infront of anew. “Is _he_ in there?”

Whitt laughed shortly, nearly snorting, “He’s not a god Caleb, its really not a big deal.”

“-Who are you talking about?” Mabel had unfortunately heard that last part as the swing had returned her to Whitt.

“-No one Mabel,” Caleb said quickly, “Why don't you go play with Jane and Tobias? See if you can see more animals than them.”

Jane and Tobias were of course together, sitting under a large oak tree. The pair of them were cloud gazing, the Latter resting his head in the former’s lap as they watched the clouds.

Mabel pouted, hopping off the swing. “No one ever tells me anything.” she grouched, looking to Whitt.

Whitt smiled and tousled Mabel’s hair, “I’ll tell you later Mabes. I promise.”

Mabel, satisfied with this answer, bounced off to join Jane and Tobias who welcomed her with smiles.

Caleb sighed and turned back to Whitt, once he had assured that Mabel had reached her destination.  “I’ll cover for you.” He stated simply, now eying Happy suspiciously, “Just be careful okay?”

Whitt grinned and boxed his shoulder, “Thanks Caleb! I’ll be back soon!” Already leaving her brother behind, she jogged quickly over to Happy.

“Hey there Little Lady.” He greeted when she stood in front of him, “Been taking it easy?”

Whitt smiled widely at Happy, glad to see him again. “Of course! No other way to be..” She said matter-of-factly.

“Alright!”He cheered, an easy smile on his face, “ That’s what I’m talkin’ about, up high!” He raising his hand for a high-five, low enough that she could actually reach it.

Whitt met his raised palm with her own, smaller one, smacking it in a solid high-five.

“Nice,” He nodded, stepping aside to open the back door, “In you go…”

Whitt grinned at him and clambered inside.

The door was shut behind her. Stark sat on the other side of the back seat, nonchalantly messing with his holographic phone.

“Hey Kid,” he greeted, eyes still absorbed in the smaller screen, “Whats up?”

Whitt rolled her eyes, “My name is still Whitt, Stark..”

Tony finally looked up at her, “ How many times have I asked you to call me Tony?”

She shrugged, eyeing the navy blue suit he was wearing, the first button undone. “Why don't you ever wear ties?” The first time she had seen him, he hadnt been wearing a tie either.

“Because I’m rich,” Tony said without missing a beat.  Whitt winced when he leaned close, shining a little light into her eyes and squinting as if he was looking for something.  “So anything good lately?” he asked, flashing the light back and forth between her eyes, “Something interesting in the future? The Rapture, World Peace, Alien invasion?”

Whitt felt her heart stop, it was impossible to say if it showed on her face. Memories of fire, the Purple Titan and the sound Tony’s head made when it was crushed in the red and gold helmet, flashed before her eyes. She worried that her face showed her distress but somehow Tony didn't notice it. He chuckled when she smacked his hands away, leaning back to glare at him, “You know that’s not how it works Stark.”

“I had Happy drive me here because I guessed you didn't want your...siblings, to know you were buddies with Ironman. You’re welcome by the way, Im not normally this discreet.” He paused as if waiting for a ‘thank you’.

Whitt rolled her eyes, smirking when she thought of a good retort, “I mean it’s still a little creepy,” she grinned at the way his expectant smile began to diminish, “Having a dark van pull up and waiting for a little girl to get in. Are you sure your'e allowed this close to Public Park’s, Stark?”

Tony rolled his eyes, snorting in derision, “Whatever Kid.” He was both annoyed and impressed she was so quick, “ Im here on serious business. I have a deal for you.”

“What kind of deal?” Whitt asked suspiciously, eying Tony up and down. Martin had offered deals before, and they were always bad. She waited with baited breath for him to speak.

“I still don't know how that creepy trance thing works, If it works!-” Tony allowed at the triumphant look on her face, “And in order to prove that you can’t see the future, I have to study it.”

“You can't cut my head open or disect me.” Whitt said flatly, her expression serious.

Tony started to laugh, but upon seeing that she wasn't actually joking, looked horrified.

“Cut your- Christ Kid what have you been watching! Better yet, what do you think of me?” He appeared appalled, hand on his chest before shaking his head, “No head cutting, no dissections. Im not that kind of inventor anyway, better yet im nowhere near qualified to do that kind of thing.”

“So what then? More like what you were going to do yesterday?” Truly curious now that her fears had been waylaid, Whitt leaned forward with interest. She had always wondered where her powers were from and how they worked. If he were being honest, then she would jump at the chance to understand herself more.

Tony nodded, “Exactly that, I’ll explain more at the lab but that’s the idea. And in exchange…” He actually paused, as if finally considering what she would want. It was then that Tony realized that he knew nothing about 11 year old girls.

“What do you want kid?” he asked finally, giving up on coming up with actual answers “A pony? Box of candies? A barbie doll?”

Whitt stared at him strangely, “Where would I even keep a horse?” she deadpanned.

“I would give you a barn too.” Tony quipped, “What do I look like, an animal?”

Whitt cracked a grin then and he was quick to cut in, “-No, nevermind, don't say what was in your devious, child-like, lizard brain. Just tell me what you want Kid.”

Whitt was about to retort when the full brunt of what He was offering hit her. She could ask for him to save her brother and sisters, to help them get adopted into better homes. She could have asked for him to stop Martin, he was rich and he was Ironman, there was no chance that they could fail. She could ask for something other than Frozen Pizzas and Juice from powdered packets to feed them all. All these things crossed her mind but she voiced none of them.

The thought of opening her mouth and letting spill all the horrible things that happened in her life, all the horrible things Martin did to them…

It made her mouth feel like it was full of sand.

Whitt swallowed all of her problems and worries and all of her requests for rescue. What would Tony Stark think of her if he knew what her life was like?

She couldn't risk him treating her differently, she couldn't risk those big sad eyes the social workers wore around her and her siblings appearing on his face if he knew.

Instead she considered an alternative. He could still help them, he just didn't have to know that he was.

“You have money right?”

Tony raised a brow at the Kid’s question but answered nonetheless, “Yeah- more than most small countries and God. Why?”

Whit gave him a look that clearly meant _‘duh’_ , “Because that’s what I want,” She paused and thought of the highest number she could.

“I want a billion dollars.”

It was silent for a beat.

Tony raised a brow, “Seriously-”

“-Seriously Stark.” Whitt cut in, “I want One Billion Dollars.”

“What the hell **For** , Kid?” Genuinely curious, Tony peered at her, “Can you even count to a billion?”

Whitt scoffed, “Can you?”

“The point is,” Tony continued, ignoring her very good question, “That’s a lot of money for a ten year old-”

“-Im Eleven!-”

“-and even if I give you that much, you can't keep it in your mattress. And you don't have a bank account.” He pointed out, “So you should pick something else.”

“No.” Whitt stated simply,  ignoring his distressed look.

“What do you mean no?” Tony sighed through his nose deeply, “Look Kid, I can’t just give you a billion dollars.”

“You have more money than God remember?” Whitt said cheekily, a smug grin on her face.

Tony was unable to say anything for a moment, instead choosing to pray that Pepper never found out what he was about to do.

“You cant have all of it right away.”

“Fine.” She conceded.

“-and you can't spend too much of it at once.” He added.

Whitt didn't bat an eyelash, “Fine.”

“-and you can’t tell anyone.”

She bristled, “Im not a baby, Stark. And im not stupid.”

“Never said you were kid, if anything youre just as smart as most adults.” It was rare to hear a direct complement, one that wasn't hidden in a sharp quip, from Tony Stark.

Whitt ducked her head to hide the flush on her cheeks, and the grin of victory. One Billion Dollars. She had enough money to get her and her siblings out of Martin’s house. All she had to do now, was wait. They could do it. Survive until she was old enough to get out of the system. Then she could adopt them, and they could all be safe. She could do it.

“When do we start?”  Whitt asked, watching as Tony reached over and tapped her side of the glass twice.

“Right now.” He said shortly as Happy got into the driver’s seat, starting the car.  Whitt watched from the tinted window as the shapes that were her foster siblings began to shrink as they pulled away from the Curb.

She could see Caleb staring at them as they rolled away, Matthew right behind.

 

**A Game of Whitt**

**Saturday, February 2, 20xx**

**The Stark Mansion**

**12:52 pm**

“-to do it again.” Tony said, trying to hide the excitement in his voice.

 They had been working all morning now and she was starting to run out of steam. It had started simply enough, the white circles were attached to her head again and Stark had her sit very still thinking about nothing for awhile and then had her think normally. He had called it a ‘Baseline’.

“Because when you do your...thing,” he said, sticking the dots to her forehead, “I have to measure the difference between your brain when you’re normal and when youre...not..”

She had scowled at him for this, feeling slightly insulted.

But He had paid her no heed, to absorbed in his attempts to understand how her gift worked. So when he told her to start whenever she was ready- no pressure- he seemed far more nervous than she was.

When her eyes flashed white, glowing in the dimmed lights of the lab, He nearly forgot to monitor the results. There was something otherworldly about the Trance, the bright light that seemed to exude from her very skin and cause the veins around her eyes to grow.

Whitt herself was far away, in her mind’s eye she saw herself. Stark hadnt been specified on what she should look for, or when, so she chose something easy. Three Hours from now, where would she be?

\---

_The clock on the dash read 3:52pm._

_“Had a good day Little Lady?” Happy asked as they drove along the lower commercial district of the city._

_She smirked knowingly, “I did, it was very...insightful Happy.”_

_The Driver gasped, “Insightful! Big word Little Lady, three syllables. You must be very smart.”_

_Whitt grinned, giggling, “I can spell it too.”_

_“-No!” Happy said in mock-disbelief._

_They both shared a laugh before Whitt herself gasped, “I gotta pee! Happy can we stop somewhere?”_

_“ ‘Course we can! I think I see a Starbucks up ahead.” He said, slowing down to park on the curb._

_“You’re the best Hap!” She cheered, opening the door with a little effort._

_“And don't you forget it!” He called after her as she closed the door, running into the upscale cafe._

 

Whitt was tapped out of her vision, Stark’s hand on her shoulder.

“Holy shit Kid,” he said, a little breathless, “Do you have any idea what your brain looks like when you do that?”

She shook her head, looking over his shoulder at the screen. Despite it appearing backwards to her, she could make out the sharp jumps the line made in contrast to the steady smooth waves that had been her baseline. What was more was that those sharp jumps were at either end of the screen, inbetween were smooth, small, waves, nearly a straight line.

“I don't understand.” she said slowly, “Why does it look like that?”

Tony snapped his finger and pointed right at her, “That’s the question.” he snapped his finger again and the HUD appeared between them, “And to find the answer, we have to do it again.”

 

Whitt nodded seriously, “Okay,” She took a deep breath, preparing herself to look again, to seek out the same vision, “I’m ready.”

_In the cafe was a man in a wheelchair. He sat in the corner of the cafe, typing away at a laptop. Every so often he would sigh and rub his eyes._

_Haggard looking, with a few days worth of stubble, the other customers gave him a wide berth._

_Whitt paid them no mind as she walked right over and plopped herself next to him._

_The man was about speak when he looked over and saw her. The annoyed anger in his expression lessened, “What do you want kid? I ain't your mommy.”_

_Whitt smiled kindly, “The place you’re looking for is called Kamar-Taj.”_

_“What?” Stared at her strangely, “What the hell are you on kid?”_

_“Kamar-Taj, in Kathmandu, Nepal. Go there and She will help you.” Whitt  kept her voice low, her tone even as she stared at him with clear eyes._

_The man leaned back, a little unsettled by the way she seemed to look right through him, “How do you know what i need kid?” He asked carefully, not the gruff man he was moments prior._

_“Because that is my gift.” She answered simply._

_“Who are you kid? What are you?” He asked, eyes wide and full of  disbelief_

_She thought for a moment, “A Friend.”_

_“And if I go there...they’ll fix my legs?” He asked hopefully, eyes filled with light._

_Whitt nodded once, so imperceptible the man could have imagined it, “When you have learned all you wished and leave that place, a  familiar Stranger will ask you for guidance, help him too.”_

 

A flash of light brought her out of the Trance.

Whitt jerked back in the chair, the pen-light in tony’s hand disappearing behind his back.

“Stark, don't do that.” She cautioned, rubbing her eyes.

“Does it hurt? Affect your visions in anyway?” he asked quickly, snark forgotten in his quest for information.

“No, its annoying.” Whitt scowled, “And it breaks the Trance, any interruption does.”

“What did you see?”

She lied, “In three hours I’ll go home and help my siblings with their homework. You didn't say what i should be looking for so i kept it simple. That way I can look for longer.”

Tony stared at her, “Are you kidding kid? I have so much data just from the past 90 minutes that i won’t need you again till next week.”

“Then what are we gonna do for three hours?” she questioned. The Vision she had was an important one, she had to stay on the correct timeline or she risked missing what she had to do.

Tony thought about it, “You want Pizza?”

Whitt smiled wide.

And that was how they spent the next three hours. Six different kinds of pizza boxes lay open on the kitchen island while the two of them sat in the living room in front of the TV with extremely full bellies.

When Stark found out that Whitt’s only experience with Pizza was the cheap frozen kind, he was horrified. Three hours later and Whitt had tried both New York Style and Chicago Deep Dish. She had tried oven baked and stuffed crust. She had even tried Italian Pizza. Stark had ordered it from his favourite restaurant the second he found out she had never had ‘real’ Pizza and it had arrived an hour before Happy.

Whitt had never been so full and so in awe of anything in her life. If this was what being rich was like, she was going to be in heaven. Stark had also insisted that she take the leftover four boxes to share with her siblings.

She fought the urge to hug him, knowing that he would probably send her away faster.

After an afternoon of Pizza and another introducion, this time to the world of videogames, Jarvis informed them that Happy was here and Ms. Potts was on the phone for him.

Tony escorted her to the elevator that would take her back down to an all to familiar garage.

“See you later Kid, same time next week.” He said, handing her the giant stack of Pizza boxes, “God your siblings are gonna be too happy about this, how have none of you ever had real Pizza? That's a capital offense right there Kid.  

Whitt nodded, trying to keep the emotion from her voice, “Yeah...yeah it is…” Her eyes misted as she tried to look everywhere except Stark.  No one had ever...ever done anything like this for her. Fed her and cared about her and even helped her to feed her siblings.

But Tony seemed to understand the sudden silence from where there would usually be a snarky comeback. He shook his head fondly and reached the elevator to punch the button for the main garage.  Instead of teasing her, he waved as the elevator doors closed, “Same time next week Kid.”

Whitt tried to calm herself down as she descended into garage where Happy was waiting.

“Ready to go Little Lady? Whoa, did you and Tony have a party without me?” He asked, eying her arms full of pizza boxes and frowning suspiciously.

Whitt looked sheepish, “Not on purpose!” she argued, feeling genuinely guilty for not having thought of Happy. “I can give you a slice right now…” she offered, eyes wide.

Happy laughed gently and shook his head, “Not a problem Little Lady, im just kidding. But let me help you carry them to the car.”  He relieved Whitt of her extra cheesy load and walked them both to the car,

With the food- and Whitt- secured in the backseat, Happy took the driver's seat and soon enough they were cruising out of the garage, Stark’s massive mansion disappearing in the rear window.

Whitt sighed and looked outside at the lush greenery, every so often they would pass another big mansion and Happy would tell her who lived there. Despite them all being very fancy, none of them were as big as Stark’s, or as nice- in her opinion.

Once she thought about it, Whitt realized that this was what she would do with the money, with her billion dollars. She would buy a big house, the biggest nicest one she could find, and her brothers and sisters would finally have a place of their own- a safe place.  
There would be a soccer field for Caleb and Matthew, an art room for Mabel, and a library for Tobias and Jane. And everyone would have their own room.

“-et some ice cream the next time, alright Little Lady?”

Whitt Jolted, “What was it?” she asked, Happy’s voice having brought her back to the present. He met her eyes in the rear-view mirror and chuckled.

“I said the next time you see Mr.Stark and I drive you back, why don't we stop for some ice cream?”

Whitt stared, “Really? Will we stop at the store?” she asked, imagining that they would simply buy some from the grocers near her neighborhood. She had had ice cream before. Once, when Martin was in a good mood. He had just gotten a new job and to celebrate, he bought a carton of it from the corner store near their house. It had been half melted and a little freezer burnt, but it was the best thing that any of them had ever tasted.

Happy gave her a strange look, “You’ve never had ice cream from a ice cream place before Little Lady?”  He tried to hide his concern when she shook her head and told him about Martin and their little ice cream celebration.

“There’s a great creamery on Malibu Road near Perenchio were we can get the real good stuff.” He promised, “You like Chocolate or Vanilla?”

Whitt thought about it, Vanilla had been the flavor of the Ice Cream that Martin had bought, so she claimed it as her favourite.

“Well they make everything in-house there,” Happy continued, “We’ll go there next time, sound good?”

Whitt beamed bright, “Yeah! Sounds Great Happy!” she met the driver’s eyes in the mirror again and they shared a smile.

Whitt fell silent again, staring at the houses. The people who lived there were so lucky. They probably had everything they ever wanted and didn't have pipes that leaked or rooms that became frozen in the wintertime. They never had to chase away rats bigger than cats or scare roaches and bedbugs out of the dark corners of their rooms. In those houses, there were no spidered cobwebs in the eaves, and the ceilings never dripped if it got too rainy. The stairs didn't creak and give way if jumped on, and there was never- ever- frozen pizza in the freezer or packets of powdered juice in the pantry.

Happy, looking at her face pressed closely to the backseat window, mistook her wistful gaze for awe.

“Yeah, when I first started working for Mr. Stark I stared at the neighborhood too,” he said, shaking his head as he remembered a dozen years prior, “ The houses only seem to get bigger as the years go by.”

Whitt eyed a particularly large mansion as they drove past, a question forming in her mind.

“Happy?” the bodyguard hummed in response to her call, “Where do you live?”

“Me? Oh I got a place in the city, the middle district, a real nice place.” He said proudly, “But Im on duty most days, and sometimes nights,” he added, sobering, “So Im not there much…”

“Hmm, that sucks,” Whitt said candidly, “What’s the point of having a nice house if you can't stay in it much?” She tapped on the window a few times, “If I had a big house to live in, id make sure I had time to appreciate it, and I’d have my own room.”

Happy looked at the little girl, looking out of the window as the houses gradually became smaller and the neighborhoods became far and few between. He wondered what her home life was life if she didn’t have a room to herself? He knew she came from a foster family, that she was in the system. It was clear by the diversity of her foster siblings that not many of them were related. But with so many of them, living where they did, he hoped that they at least lived in a home that treated her and the other children well.

As the fancy manibu neighborhoods turned to the fancy skyscrapers of the commercial district of the city and then to the lower commercial district, Whitt glanced at the clock on the dashboard.

It read 3:52pm.

“Have good day, Little Lady?” Happy asked, her vision unfolding as she had seen it hours earlier.

In the distance, Whitt saw the old Starbucks and smiled knowingly, “I did, it was very...insightful, Happy.”

Happy gasped. “Insightful! Big word, Little Lady…”

 

\--

Later that evening, after she had spoken to Jonathan Pangborn, another piece of the puzzle sliding into place, Whitt and her siblings munched on New York Style Pizza and Chicago deep dish with abando. Mabel was on her second slice, an impressive sight for one as small as her. Caleb and Matthew both had a box to themselves and scarfed down their slices in record time.  As they sat in the living room, boxes spread all around them, the boys cast appreciative glances at Whitt, who had refrained for having more than a single slice of any of the pies. Jane and Tobias shared a box, each nibbling on their respective pieces as if doing so would make them last longer. Matthew had his own box with Mabel, as they both had an aversion to anything that wasn't just plain cheese and prefered simple combinations of food.

Once again, Martin had left them alone in the house once it had become dark. He was likely to return later that night of course, but the children were safe for now.

Once all the boxes had been finished, emptied of their delicious contents, the six children gathered around the old television. The clock in the kitchen ticked its way to nine o’clock while the public access channel rolled its credits for an old court drama.

“Shh! Guys its time!” Matthew hissed, eyes glued to the TV screen. The other five folster children stopped whispering and stared at the washed out screen as the opening song to _‘Captain America and Friends!’_ began to play.

It was an old cartoon from the sixties, faded, with bad voice acting, and music that held static and was degraded from age. The colors were by now washed out and the screen had lines rolling down it from the old footage. There were sound effects in the wrong places, and no real story of any kind, but all the children, Matthew especially, loved it.

He would often quote episodes at them on the playground, and the six siblings would often engage in games of pretend based on the episodes. Matthew would be Captain America, Jane would be Peggy Carter, and the other four siblings would play various villains or sometimes be the Howling Commandos. Caleb’s favourite Character to play was Sergeant Bucky Barnes.

The children watched, absorbed in the details of the show as it played out for its half and hour segment. It was possible they had seen the episode before, but it didn't matter,  anything that took them away from their house, from Martin and the system they were in, was much loved by them.

When the show was over, the children all congregated in the girls’ room, where Jane and Tobias had set up a big white sheet in front of one of the girls’ beds. Jane and Tobias sat side by side in the middle of the four other siblings. Between them, they held an old flashlight, shining it at the sheet. When, everyone was settled, Jane started the story. 

“Once Upon a time, there was a dog,” as she spoke, Tobias moved his hands in front of the flashlight to make dog with his hands, “He was best friends with a cat…”

It had been Tobias who had found a old book on shadow puppets in their school’s barebones library, Jane was the one who figured out how to hang the sheet and ‘found’ the flashlight and batteries to make it work. She helped Tobias with his hand puppets and they practiced with the stories she made up. The pair of them had premiered their little show nearly two months ago, and ever since, it had become a Saturday night tradition.

The children passed the next few hours like this, with Jane telling the story and Tobias making shadow puppets. It was far from perfect, and at times it didn't make sense. Sometimes Tobias’ shadow cats looked more like rabbits, and the wings of his birds looked alot like the fingers on his hands, but it didn't matter. The siblings enjoyed the little shows all the more for it.

Sitting on her bed, Mabel’s sleepy head in her lap, Whitt felt immense pride in her siblings. They didn't have a perfect life, but they tried their best. Her heart warmed as Caleb and Matthew clapped and whopped at the grand finale of the story, Jane and Tobias taking their bows as if on a grand stage.

As long as they were all together, nothing too big for them to face together.

She would save them, she could save them.

It would take time, but they were strong.

Nothing in this world could change that.

 

\--

Pepper Potts was a very sharp woman. It was nearly impossible for her to miss anything and Tony Stark had been her employer for nearly ten years now and she liked to think that she knew him better than anyone. No, she knew that when it came to Tony Stark, she was an expert.

So why did she have the strangest feeling that she was missing something?

After she had returned to the states, hot on the heels of the news that Tony had nearly been killed, she had been a little more than shocked and confused to hear that it was a ‘child’ that saved his life. At least that’s what the media was saying, she had seen the footage of someone in a dark hoodie diving across the stage and pushing Tony down, but it couldn't have been a child.

Any answers she tried to get from the man himself were rebuffed and he had avoided telling her who it was ever since. She was concerned. And when she brought up perhaps rewarding the person who saved his life, he just brushed it off.

At first she had assumed it was because he was planning some grand Tony-esque gesture. But as time went on with no big surprise that covered every newspaper and station for weeks after, she was becoming concerned.

It was one of the rare days she was able to get Tony out of his worship and into the Main office in the city. She had planned an entire press conference around a new piece of technology their official R&D department had finalized, with Tony’s go ahead. There was of course, nothing that he hadnt already discovered but the ideas that he was bored with usually went to the boys in the tech division to tinker with.

All she needed was a statement from him to the gathered press corps and his signature on some key documents.

However, while she was briefing him, Pepper noticed that he was distracted.

“Tony,” she cleared her throat, “Tony are you listening to me?”

“What? No of course Im listening,” pepper rolled her eyes at his quick tone, “Something about signing and a statement about the new StarkDome-”

“-Phone.” she corrected, “Its the StarkPhone mark II Tony. You mocked up the blueprints six months ago, and gave the R&D guys the approval on the prototype last week.”

Tony made a face at her, “StarkPhone, yeah that's what I said.”

“No you didnt, you said StarkDome, like we’re planning to build an arena.” Pepper felt a headache approaching as they walked down the hallway to the main foyer where the reporters were.

“Are we not?” Tony asked seriously, “We should build a new Arena. Have a big exposition of all the new tech we’re coming out with.”

“You mean an ego trip-”

“No, a perfectly legitimate presentation of all the new advancements the company-”

“An ego trip Tony, we don't need an exposition so soon, the last one was barely eighteen months ago and we have other events to plan-”

“-Remember when I made a functioning exo-suit? Stopped weapons manufacturing on a corporate scale? Started investing in clean energy?”  Tony looked skywards, as if having to remember all his achievements, before turning his charming half-smile onto her.

Exasperation was sitting low on Pepper’s brow even as she fought an amused smile. She sighed, “We will talk about the expo after you finish the conference,” she rescinded, “ _and_ after you sign these forms.” She held up the stack of papers in her hands, glaring at his petulant look, “ _and_ you’re going to tell me why you’ve been so distracted lately.”

Her smile fell when, instead of teasing her in return, Tony’s smile tightened. She knew what that expression was, it meant he was hiding something and trying to keep it from her.

“It’s nothing Pep, just something in the workshop…” he kissed her forehead as they approached the frosted glass doors that lead to the main lobby where the Press Conference would be.

Pepper was about to say something but before she had a chance, Tony had opened the door, commanding the attention of the twelve press teams in the room.

She wouldn't be able to speak to him properly until after it was through and by then she was sure he would have the information locked away beneath layers of charm and wit.

Unable to help it, her mind ran wild with what he could be hiding?

A new suit? Perhaps he had been working on something much more dangerous than the previous Mach II and he didn't want her to worry.

It could be something to do with his arc reactor.  Her own heart stuttered at the thought. Why wouldn't he tell her if something of that magnitude was wrong?

A traitorous part of her brain suggested something he didn't even want to consider. Could it be someone else? No, Pepper refused to entertain the thought. She cared deeply about Tony, far more than she had ever wanted to admit. But after Stane- she shuddered at the unpleasant memories- she had though he returned her feelings. She had thought…

Catching herself going down a dangerous road, Pepper forced herself to thinking about the contracts she was having Tony sign after the press conference was over.  Smoothing a hand down her pristine white blouse, she tucked a stray hair behind her ear and focused on the Confirmation of Budget Transfer file she held in her hands.

It took her a few minutes before she realized she was reading the same subclause on page four over and over again.

Pepper huffed and shut the file.

What if he had met another model, or a dancer, or a reporter that had caught his eye?

Virginia ‘Pepper’ Potts was not an insecure woman by any means. She was secure in her job and her qualifications as an executive assistant that she was never threatened by people who assumed she had simply gotten hired based on her ‘looks’. She was also confident enough to know that she was an attractive woman, perhaps not on the same level and the supermodels, actresses and other women that were often Tony’s type, but she was never threatened when they tried to intimidate her.

But now? Now that there was this ‘thing’ between herself and Tony, she found there were the vaguest hints of insecurity whenever she was alone with her thoughts.

Pepper pursed her lips at how low her thoughts had become. She refused to let herself be intimidated by someone who might not even exist!

Clutching her sheaf of papers a little tighter in her hands, she vowed to find out what had Tony so distracted lately and silence her ridiculous thoughts once and for all.

 

\--

“I just need you to cover for me on Saturday’s okay?” Whitt explained to the older siblings, Jane, Mabel and Tobias already asleep.

“But why Whitt?” Matthew asked, “Where did you even go today? Caleb said you went to the library, but you came back with so much food… Did you steal it?”

Whitt flushed under his intense scrutiny, shooting Caleb a strange look for his excuse.

Caleb shrugged, “It was a last minute idea. I didn't have much time to come up with a story.”

Matthew frowned, the freckles on his cheeks moving as his nose wrinkled. “A Story? Whitt where were you? Are you in trouble?”

Whitt shook her head, whispering.“No, Im not in trouble,  It’s just important that I do this Mattie. It’s gonna get us out of here.”

Both boys’ eyes widened, Caleb hadnt known about that part and Matthew was shocked about the whole thing.

“How?” Caleb whispered back, they were in the boys’ room and didn’t want to wake Tobias. “ Did...Tony Stark say he was gonna help up?”

Matthew was barely able to keep his voice down at this point, “Tony Stark?!”

Whitt slapped her hand on his mouth, “Shhh!” She put a finger over her lips, only moving her other hand when Tobias showed no sign of waking and they heard no sign of Martin stomping down the hall towards them.

“Sorry,” Matthew said sheepishly, his voice quiet again, “But is it true? You met IronMan?” His eyes were wide, awed when Whitt nodded.

“It’s a long story Mattie…” She whispered, keeping the whole truth from him. Already Caleb and Mabel knew, she didn’t want to put the rest of her foster siblings in danger by telling them, and she didn’t want them to know.

But Matthew pressed on, his eyes wide and pleading, “C’mon Whitt! You can’t just not tell me now! I won't tell Anyone, please, please, please, please, pleeeaassee-”

Whitt cracked under the pressure, “-Alright fine!” she conceded, shushing him again when his excited cheering nearly rose above whisper level, “Before I start the story, there’s a few things you have to know about me first Mattie..”

That night, after Matthew’s excitement had worn him out enough to sleep, Whitt crawled into her own bed and closed her eyes. Lids heavy, sleep brushed against the back of her eyelids.

She had just been about to drift off, dream of nothing she would remember in the morning, when a voice echoed in the hollow space between her ears.

_“Hello again, Little Star.”_

Whitt’s hand flew to her mouth to muffle her fearful gasp. ‘No,’ she thought, ‘Please don't let it be him. Please let it be a dream.’

His voice sounded pleased, _“It’s been so long since I last saw you. I sense you have grown stronger.”_

Whitt put her hands on her hears to silence it, pressing to hard they began to ring. But still the voice of the Purple Titan continued to sound in her ears.

_“I cannot wait to see you again Little Star. I cannot wait to see what you can do, to make you...better.”_

Whitt shuddered, water collecting in her eyes. Her fear began to burn, “I’ll stop you.” She whispered, her words infused with hate.

His voice became sympathetic, _“You will try, Dear one, I would expect nothing less.”_ There was pride in his voice now, pride as if she was something of his,“ _But you will fail-”_ His voice was flat, grim even as he soothed her with promises, _“-and I will take you with me when I turn your world to ash.”_

A single tear fell down her cheek, the sound of his voice in her head making it ache. It was so loud now, it echoed in every corner of her mind, no place was safe. “I will stop you.” Whitt said, her voice trembling now as she curled into herself.

_“Sleep now Dear One, soon you shall thank me for my mercy. Soon you will be free.”_

When his voice faded from her head, his presence like a thick smog gone from her mind, she sighed deeply, daring not to move for fear he would return.

When he did not, only then did Whitt dare to close her eyes again.

In the dark of her room, she worried about what the future would tell her. And for the first time in her life, she was afraid to look.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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